“White Sky, Falling Dragon” – 白天落龍

Regional Premier
A Soaring Dragon Endeavors joint production
with Santa Cruz Actors’ Theatre

A PLAY BY STEVE “SPIKE” WONG
Running APRIL 19 THROUGH MAY 5 2024
AT CENTER STAGE ~ 1001 CENTER ST.  SANTA CRUZ

Written by Steve “Spike” Wong, this play presents the return home of a Chinese American young man from his World War II service as a bombardier in the US Army Air Force. Inspired by Spike’s own father, Captain Ernest Wong, USAAF, the story follows his struggle to be an American in a traditional Chinese home, with the emotional difficulty of striving to overcome tragedy during his last mission of the war. In order to begin healing, he must accept one culture in order to gain the other, wherein a secret from the past holds the key to his future.

The inspiration for the play: Captain Ernest Wong, USAAF, at the age of 19. He served as a bombardier/ navigator on B-17 and B-24 bombers.

“White Sky, Falling Dragon” is a unique work written by a Chinese American playwright and featuring an all Chinese American cast of characters. The playwright’s father, mother, grandparents, and an uncle interact as they did in real life, with factual references from their lives, although the story line of the play is fictional. “White Sky, Falling Dragon” is written in English with some Cantonese and Mandarin used to create mood, authenticity, and poetic elements. The play’s production staff includes some of the finest stage theater talent in the SF Bay Area.

  • Director: Spike Wong/Soaring Dragon Endeavors.
  • Assistant Director & Co-Producer: Joan Van Antwerp
  • Stage Manager; Graphic Design: Buff McKinley.
  • Production Design: Cheryl L. Wong.
  • Set Design: Jaesuk “Sook” Jung.
  • Technical Director: Larry Cuprys.
  • Lighting Design & Master Electrician: Carina Swanberg.
  • Scenic Artist: Maggie Yee
  • Asst. Lighting Design: Stephen Migdal
  • B-17 Design & Construction: Dan Garrett/Strong Arm Tech.
  • B-17 Graphic Artist & Scenic Artist: Diana Greene Garrett.
  • Music Composer: James Francisco, Ph.D.
  • Sound Design & Projections: Davis Banta/Right Hand Creative.
  • Production still from Premier performance
    Winston Wang as Ernie
  • Production so
    Spike Wong as Pop
  • YinYin Liow reaches for the stars
  • Cynthia Dear as Ma
  • Cynthia Dear and Winston Wang
  • YinYin Liow recites a Mandarin poem
  • Tristan Ahn as Eddie
  • Ernie: Winston Wang
  • Ma: Cynthia Dear
  • May: Yin Yin Liow
  • Pop: Steve “Spike” Wong
  • Eddie: Tristan Ahn
  • Airfield Crewman: Ian Dyer

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On behalf of his father, Captain Ernest Wong, playwright and director Steve “Spike” Wong accepts the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to Chinese American Veterans of WWII. Presenting the medal is Major General Darryl Wong (ret.), US Air Force. Washington, DC, Sept. 30, 2021.

April 19 – May 5, 2024
Thurs, Fri, Sat @ 7:30 pm Sat & Sun @ 2 pm

Tickets and More information

Playwright and director Steve “Spike” Wong discusses the play’s concept and the character breakdowns in this call for actors video:

The playwright discusses family history and dynamics.
The play’s concept and character descriptions
Playwright Steve “Spike” Wong flying in the bombardier’s compartment of a B-17 (the “Nine-0-Nine”) as research and inspiration for “White Sky, Falling Dragon.” He is wearing his father’s flight jacket from 1944. Over 75 years have passed since the jacket’s last flight.
Spike Wong displays his father’s card from WWII in front of the bombardier’s compartment of the B-17 “Nine-0-Nine,” on which Spike flew in May 2018 as research for the play. Below, the “Nine-0-Nine.” The bombardier’s compartment is the plexiglass nose cone, inside of which is the Norden bombsight, which features in the play.
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Contact us

soaringdragonendeavors@gmail.com